Burglar who stole shotgun and €11,000 worth of jewellery in Wicklow is jailed
The Wicklow PeopleA serial burglar with 150 previous convictions has been handed a partially suspended prison sentence, after admitting a Wicklow crime spree that included the theft of a shotgun, cash and jewellery from family homes
Jimmy Cash (37), of Daletree Place, Ballycullen, Dublin 24, appeared at a sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to five counts of burglary.
Detective Garda Liam Flynn testified that in March 2013, the accused burgled a home by breaking a window - leaving blood at the scene - and stole more than €20,000 worth of jewellery and cash.
In September 2025, he broke into a house in Clonpadden, near Arklow, where he stole a safe containing a double-barrel shotgun and €11,000 worth of jewellery. He entered the property by smashing a back window.
The court was told that the victim later received a call claiming the firearm was stashed near Roundwood, Co. Wicklow. However, despite searches by gardaí, the gun was never found.
Mr Cash and his girlfriend, Mary Bissett (37), who is charged with a single count of theft, burgled three houses on the same plot of land in Annagolan, Ashford. Counsel for the prosecution, James Kelly, said that at the first house the pair stole a new chainsaw.
At the second property, the defendant stole a watch, but left behind a sock full of jewellery, which did not belong to any of the victims.
Det Flynn said that Ms Bissett is also charged with stealing Meanies crisps and Red Bull from a garage during the burglary spree.
Barrister for Mr Cash, Gregory Murphy, noted that all properties were vacant at the time of the burglaries.
Mr Cash has 109 previous convictions in the Republic of Ireland and a further 41 in the United Kingdom, including for burglary, assault and dangerous driving.
His most recent conviction came in Wales, where he was sentenced to 45 months imprisonment. Ms Bissett also has previous convictions in both jurisdictions.
Counsel for Ms Bissett, Eamonn O’Moore, said that his client is now sober, after battling an addiction to prescription tablets, and recently had a baby.
Mr Kelly said the court is currently unaware whether Mr Cash was on bail from Wales at the time of the offences, but noted that it does not play a factor in the sentencing hearing.
In mitigation, Mr Murphy said Mr Cash previously worked as a gardener, but has found obtaining employment “tough” due to his previous convictions.
He argued that, with continued support from his family, he can “move on with his life”.
Mr Cash was previously addicted to cocaine, heroin and tablets, but is now also free from his prescription methadone addiction.
The court was told that Mr Cash’s grandmother died shortly before the crime spree, which “spiralled him into a cocaine addiction”.
While in custody, the defendant overdosed on benzodiazepines.
He added that he wished to see “some light at the end of the tunnel” before asking Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin to suspend a portion of the defendant’s sentence.
Judge Ní Chúlacháin said the theft of the shotgun was of particular concern and constituted a significant aggravating factor.
She set a headline sentence of eight years imprisonment, then reduced the sentence to six years in recognition of the defendant’s guilty pleas.
She accepted that Mr Cash was looking for an opportunity to rehabilitate himself and acknowledged the support available to him.
However, the judge said his extensive criminal record and the nature of his previous convictions could not be ignored.
She suspended the final three years of his sentence for a period of five years, describing the sentence as a “last chance”
Conditions of the suspension include that Mr Cash remain under the supervision of the Probation Service, engage with any programmes directed by the service and enter into a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.
All sentences were ordered to run concurrently and were backdated to September 26, 2025.
The judge imposed a six-month sentence on Ms Bissett, suspending it in full for a period of 12 months.